Community Walks Bring Hope Home
“You set out to help others, and somehow you’re the one who feels changed,” reflected Joy Broddle, Division President, Lennar.
Across the country, communities are stepping forward — literally — to bring hope closer to home. From Las Vegas to Muscatine, Iowa, community Walk for Hope events are proving that you don’t need to live near a City of Hope® campus to make a life-changing impact.
Walking To Support Team Members
Lennar, a longtime partner of City of Hope, recently hosted its second annual virtual Walk for Hope in Las Vegas. What began as a desire to rally Associates around a shared cause in a personal, accessible, and active way has grown into a powerful movement of compassion, connection and purpose.
“We wanted something that involved our Associates in a more active way,” said Broddle. “We trusted City of Hope. We knew our dollars would support research and would go to the patients and families who need it.”
This year’s walk brought together more than 250 Lennar Associates, families and friends. Participants wore purple to remember a beloved colleague lost to pancreatic cancer. On behalf of their Associates, Lennar donated $50,000 to City of Hope’s research and care programs — and created something intangible but deeply meaningful: unity. “It’s not just about the money,” Broddle said. “It’s about getting together, moving our bodies, and supporting each other emotionally and physically.”
The impact on Lennar’s team was profound. Associates walked for their loved ones, their colleagues and themselves. Some Associates had sought second opinions from City of Hope physicians. Others found renewed confidence in their treatment plans. All felt the power of being part of something bigger, being part of the City of Hope family.
HNI Corporation Builds Community Support
Across the country, Muscatine, Iowa-based HNI Corporation hosted its first Hope Walk this fall. Hope Walks is a community-powered walk inspired by Walk for Hope, driven by a shared mission to support cancer breakthroughs. Led by local partners, each Hope Walk raises funds for lifesaving research and honors those impacted by cancer. Though headquartered over three hours from City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago, HNI proved that distance doesn’t limit impact.
“City of Hope’s work aligns with the greater giving mission HNI has as an organization,” said Leslie Eichelberger, Director of Workplace Experience, HNI. “We wanted people to become friends with City of Hope.”
Eichelberger and her colleague Taylor Carey-Murdock launched a community focused campaign — distributing flyers, registering residents at farmer’s markets, engaging their local chamber of commerce and partnering with local healthcare organizations. They established an internal workstream — team members across HNI volunteered support, in addition to their day jobs, to handle planning, logistics, and event tasks.
Their efforts paid off: 296 people participated, including HNI members and Muscatine community members, raising nearly $7,400. One HNI partner sent more than 40 employees. The event also featured a Wellness Fair with 25 health agencies partnering to provide screening services, and a children’s activity where handwritten cards were sent to City of Hope patients.
HNI has raised $10 million for City of Hope over 25 years. This walk added a new community engagement. “City of Hope may feel far away,” Eichelberger said, “but its research touches lives here every day.”
Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a local business, every step taken in a Walk for Hope brings us closer to a future free from cancer.
Start Small. Dream Big. Take Action.
Lennar and HNI’s successful community walks offer key takeaways for organizations looking to host their own events:
- Define your why — raise awareness in your community, honor a beloved colleague, connect deeply with your employees — and treat it as a rallying cry for walkers
- Make a plan, gather your people equipped to organize, and trust and empower them to execute
- Engage walkers — inform them about City of Hope, honor walkers’ experiences with life-threatening illness, build deeper relationships with your colleagues and community
Ready to take the first step?
Contact our team at [email protected] to host one in your community.